| Nope, World of Warcraft still isn't going F2P Posted: 09 Nov 2013 09:30 AM PST Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Business Models, Events (Real-World), Expansions, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, News Items, Subscription Sorry, free-to-play fans; World of Warcraft still isn't your game. Eurogamer reports that Blizzard production director J Allen Brack ended speculation of a potential business model switch for the hugely popular MMO. "We didn't make this game to be free-to-play," Brack explained. "We would have to rework the game pretty significantly in order to make it free-to-play. It's not something we're currently considering." In other expansion news, the official WoW website has been updated with several new articles fleshing out yesterday's panel announcement. The first covers leveling from 90 to 100 in the new expansion, while the second is more of a general overview that also includes the Warlords of Draenor: Remaking a World video. View it after the cut. Continue reading Nope, World of Warcraft still isn't going F2P  Nope, World of Warcraft still isn't going F2P originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 09 Nov 2013 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments |
| The Game Archaeologist: Classic servers and you Posted: 09 Nov 2013 09:00 AM PST Filed under: World of Warcraft, Dark Age of Camelot, EverQuest, Opinion, Ultima Online, RuneScape, The Game Archaeologist, Miscellaneous Sometimes players don't want progress into the future; they want to regress into nostalgia. I've always seen this undercurrent of desire for classic servers run through the MMO community, manifesting in lengthy discussions about how cool it'd be to play a game the way it was "way back when." I also imagine developers reading those discussions with a combination of shared nostalgia and anxiety over the work required for such a project. I can understand this desire. We form attachments to MMOs based on several factors, not the least of which are when we started playing the game and what we remember most from it. While we generally applaud the change brought about by content updates, bug fixes, expansions, and the like, there's always a part of us that won't let go of the past. That's where classic servers come into play. Here and there, studios have recognized and responded to this desire for gaming the way it used to be by creating servers that deliberately call back to the past. It might seem to fly in the face of common sense, but I don't think it's that strange when you look at the larger video game community and how strong nostalgia gaming has taken root there as well. So what do classic servers have to offer you and where can you find them? Continue reading The Game Archaeologist: Classic servers and you The Game Archaeologist: Classic servers and you originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 09 Nov 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments |
| The Stream Team: Fixing Tuckborough's troubles in Lord of the Rings Online Posted: 09 Nov 2013 08:00 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Lord of the Rings Online, Free-to-Play, Livestream, Dungeons, The Stream Team Who doesn't want to aid in the fight to defend Middle-earth? Whether on your own or with a group of friends, there are plenty of skirmishes in Lord of the Rings Online to help to beat back the evil. And Massively's MJ is ready to do her part. This time she's off to defend Tuckborough, sweeping the minions of evil off the streets while grooving to the fun background music. Join us live at 11:00 a.m. and see which instrument she uses to bring death to the vile hordes this time. Game: Lord of the Rings Online Host: MJ Guthrie Date: Saturday, November 9th, 2013 Time: 11:00 a..m. EST Enjoy our Steam Team video below. Continue reading The Stream Team: Fixing Tuckborough's troubles in Lord of the Rings Online The Stream Team: Fixing Tuckborough's troubles in Lord of the Rings Online originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 09 Nov 2013 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments |
| WRUP: Richie called it edition Posted: 09 Nov 2013 07:00 AM PST Filed under: Massively Meta, Miscellaneous Let's just own this, all right? Amidst all the other talk about World of Warcraft over the next couple of days, I feel it's important to note that Richie Procopio totally called one of the major features. He was one hundred percent correct. Housing is coming to the game, long after everyone (including me) had more or less given the very concept up for dead in Azeroth. So Richie is apparently psychic. I'm not saying he knows what's going to happen next, but I am saying that you should probably listen to him if he says to stay home next week. What's that? Oh, yes, it's WRUP all over again, I almost forgot. You know how that goes, we let you know what we're going to be up to over the weekend, then you let us know what you'll be doing down in the comments. This is exactly when you'd expect this to come around. Continue reading WRUP: Richie called it edition WRUP: Richie called it edition originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 09 Nov 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments |
| The Daily Grind: Are you excited for Warlords of Draenor? Posted: 09 Nov 2013 05:00 AM PST Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Expansions, New Titles, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Subscription As I sat and watched the news pour in about World of Warcraft's fifth expansion, I was of two minds. On the one hand, when you start diving into the past, it's often a sign that the present is less interesting. On the other hand, this is a time that has been alluded to but never explored, and this trailer is not forgetting draenei. On the third hand, there's some interesting stuff here even without a time skip. On the fourth hand, where did all of these extra hands come from? The point is that I'm not sure if I'm excited about Warlords of Draenor yet. Maybe you're a bit more clear-headed than I am, ladies and gentlemen of the audience. Are you excited for this new expansion? Were you sitting in your chair looking forward to another chapter for World of Warcraft? Or are you ready to declare it a failure from just the title alone?  Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!The Daily Grind: Are you excited for Warlords of Draenor? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 09 Nov 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments |
| MMObility: Crazy Tribes is crazy easy to put down Posted: 08 Nov 2013 06:00 PM PST Filed under: Screenshots, Game Mechanics, Previews, PvP, Opinion, Free-to-Play, Mobile, Hands-On, Casual, Humor, First Impressions, Post-Apocalyptic, MMObility I've played Crazy Tribes before. Or at least it feels that way. I've played so many MMORTS titles, mobile and otherwise, that play exactly like Crazy Tribes that it's hard writing this without feeling as though I am repeating myself. It's not that the game is a complete dud; it's actually relatively well made in a few areas. The problem is that it does not do enough to set it apart from the pack of MMORTS games that already exist. If only Crazy Tribes would take at least a few cues from a game like Grepolis! I ran into issues almost as soon as I started the game. In the beginning tutorial -- if you can read the tiny, horrible font, anyway -- you'll be told to access a certain building in order to start upgrading. The problem was immediately obvious: Not only was the picture of the building different from the actual building in the town, but there are no labels on the individuals buildings that make up your post-apocalyptic village. It's an annoying bit that could so easily be fixed. Continue reading MMObility: Crazy Tribes is crazy easy to put down MMObility: Crazy Tribes is crazy easy to put down originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 08 Nov 2013 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments |
| Looking for Guild: WoW and FFXIV Posted: 08 Nov 2013 05:30 PM PST Filed under: World of Warcraft, Guilds, Final Fantasy XIV, Miscellaneous, Looking for Guild Things have been going well for the connections made through this column behind the scenes. It seems that we're connecting someone just about every week, although mostly in Final Fantasy XIV! But this week we have someone looking for friendlies in World of Warcraft (OK, and also FFXIV). For next week, I want to do something a little different and switch things around to be all about guilds looking for members. You can certainly still send in your requests for guilds as normal, but in two weeks, it will be all about guild advertising, then we'll go back to normal. So read on past the cut to see how you can get your guild on the next installment of this column, and check out those looking for a guild of their own in this week's list. Continue reading Looking for Guild: WoW and FFXIV Looking for Guild: WoW and FFXIV originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 08 Nov 2013 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments |
| Betawatch: November 2 - 8, 2013 Posted: 08 Nov 2013 05:00 PM PST Filed under: Betas, MMO Industry, News Items, Betawatch, Miscellaneous Are you ready for more brick-based adventures? Because LEGO Minifigures Online is already ramping up to start its beta testing early this month. Signups are available now, though we don't yet have an exact date on the test start or even an idea of how long the overall testing will be. But maybe you're not really a building sort and you'd rather blow holes in things -- specifically, tanks. From inside of another tank. And that's all right, too, because World of Tanks is holding an open beta weekend for its Xbox 360 client. Everyone can get in on it, and anyone who doesn't will just have to wait for a bit, as beta registration closes after the weekend ends. Consider that motivation. None of that tickles you? Perhaps you'll find something more to your taste in our beta list past the cut. As always, let us know whether something on the list slipped past our radar into a soft launch. Continue reading Betawatch: November 2 - 8, 2013 Betawatch: November 2 - 8, 2013 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 08 Nov 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments |
| The Stream Team: Starting new adventures in TERA Posted: 08 Nov 2013 04:00 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Video, PvE, Free-to-Play, Massively Meta, Hands-On, Roleplaying, TERA, Livestream, The Stream Team, MMORPG Every adventure has a beginning. Before you fight giant monsters and earn fame in TERA, you must first learn the basics. Tonight, Massively's Mike Foster re-lives the TERA starting experience, complete with character creation and the first handful of quests. Mike will be starting anew on the Celestial Hills role-playing server -- all viewers are invited to create new characters and come along for the ride. Tonight's stream kicks off at 7:00 p.m. EST. Game: TERA Host: Mike Foster Date: Friday, November 8th, 2013 Time: 7:00 p.m. EST Enjoy our Steam Team video below. Continue reading The Stream Team: Starting new adventures in TERA The Stream Team: Starting new adventures in TERA originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 08 Nov 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments |
| Exclusive: Here's Star Trek Online's Season 8 launch trailer Posted: 08 Nov 2013 03:30 PM PST |
| Firefall update talks quest system, bug squashing Posted: 08 Nov 2013 03:00 PM PST Filed under: Betas, Sci-Fi, Bugs, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, New Titles, PvP, News Items, PvE, Free-to-Play, Firefall It's time for a Firefall development update direct from Red 5. The most interesting tidbit has to do with a new content creation tool that the devs hope will provide quest-like missions. The team "made tremendous progress" on this little ditty "that will allow us to string together multiple encounters with branching trees all wrapped up in a loose narrative structure." Red 5 also managed to clean up its creature database and roll out additional bug fixes. You can read further details on the Firefall forums. Firefall update talks quest system, bug squashing originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 08 Nov 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments |
| EverQuest Next's Georgeson teases cryptic tweet Posted: 08 Nov 2013 02:30 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, Free-to-Play, EverQuest Next, Sandbox Oh, Dave Georgeson, you coy rascal! What the heck does 11 11 11 11 mean? Georgeson, SOE's EverQuest franchise director and a prominent figure in the development of EverQuest Next, published the cryptic string of characters earlier this afternoon on his personal Twitter account. EQN's fan community of course hazarded a few guesses which ranged from a beta announcement at 11:11 a.m. on November 11th to some sort of binary code. Georgeson isn't talking, though, other than a follow-up tweet that shot down the beta rumor. So we're left to wait and wonder what the heck these numbers mean in relation to SOE's upcoming fantasy sandbox. EverQuest Next's Georgeson teases cryptic tweet originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 08 Nov 2013 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments |
| BlizzCon 2013: Moving into Warlords of Draenor's garrisons Posted: 08 Nov 2013 02:00 PM PST Filed under: World of Warcraft, Betas, Fantasy, Expansions, Game Mechanics, Housing, Subscription Arguably one of World of Warcraft: Warlords of Draenor's biggest selling points is its just-announced garrison system. A panel at BlizzCon and the official FAQ have details as to what this version of player housing will look like. Garrisons will be phased outposts that players will establish in any zone on Draenor and use as headquarters for their adventures there. A garrison is basically a small town that can be upgraded and customized, but it has a functional aspect as well. Players meet NPCs during questing that will go back to the garrison where they can be put to work doing missions whether you're logged in or not. The garrison is integrated into the game world and can be visited by one's friends. Different buildings in the garrison bestow different bonuses, such as an infirmary healing followers and inns allowing for greater recruiting. Buildings can be upgraded three times with a specialization choice at the end, and they can be decorated with monuments and trophies from achievement rewards (among other sources). Crafting, even in professions that you haven't trained, will be available, and Blizzard is promising that epic-quality gear can be made through this system. BlizzCon 2013: Moving into Warlords of Draenor's garrisons originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 08 Nov 2013 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments |
| EverQuest II video peeks behind the scenes of Tears of Veeshan Posted: 08 Nov 2013 01:30 PM PST Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Video, EverQuest II, Expansions, PvE, Free-to-Play You may have to wait until Tuesday to jump into EverQuest II's next expansion, but you can get a peek at the making of Tears of Veeshan in a new behind-the-scenes video now. From the food-fighting goblins, grand vistas, and intricate details of Highkeep to the Naiad-filled halls of the Shissar-built temple Stratum of the Protectors, devs highlight some of the art and animations of ToV. Also included is a brief overview of the new Channeler class by Creative Director Akil Hooper and a glimpse of of an enormous globe of Norrath. Check it all out in the video below. [Source: SOE press release] Continue reading EverQuest II video peeks behind the scenes of Tears of Veeshan EverQuest II video peeks behind the scenes of Tears of Veeshan originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 08 Nov 2013 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments |
| The Stream Team: Playing Vanguard using 'Immersion Rules' Posted: 08 Nov 2013 01:00 PM PST Filed under: Video, Game Mechanics, Opinion, Vanguard, Free-to-Play, Hands-On, Roleplaying, Livestream, Sandbox, The Stream Team Years ago Beau set out to play Vanguard: Saga of Heroes in a unique way that would add depth to the game. He came up with a set of rules -- the Immersion Rules -- and followed them for a long time. Some of the rules include seeking shelter during bad weather, using a real-life map only, eating and drinking at particular times and even resting or sleeping. He even added in permadeath and lost one of his most beloved characters that way. Join him as he tries the rules out once again, on camera! Game: Vanguard: Saga of Heroes Host: Beau Date: Friday, November 8th, 2013 Time: 4:00 p.m. EST Enjoy our Steam Team video below. Continue reading The Stream Team: Playing Vanguard using 'Immersion Rules' The Stream Team: Playing Vanguard using 'Immersion Rules' originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 08 Nov 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments |
| Storyboard: Breaking game mechanics for the sake of roleplay Posted: 08 Nov 2013 12:30 PM PST |
| BlizzCon 2013: World of Warcraft: Warlords of Draenor revealed Posted: 08 Nov 2013 12:00 PM PST Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Trailers, Video, Expansions, Subscription World of Warcraft will continue its adventures in its fifth expansion pack called Warlords of Draenor. Blizzard announced the new expansion at BlizzCon today following heavy rumors when the title was discovered in a trademark database. The expansion will pit players against "a savage enemy without remorse." The opening ceremonies showed a trailer for the expansion, which boasted a slew of features for the new expansion. These include the world of Draenor, an increased level cap to 100, the ability to instantly advance a single character to level 90, a garrison to build and defend, and new character models. You can keep an eye on warlordsofdraenor.com and the official FAQ from BlizzCon for more information once it launches and watch the trailer after the break. Continue reading BlizzCon 2013: World of Warcraft: Warlords of Draenor revealed BlizzCon 2013: World of Warcraft: Warlords of Draenor revealed originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 08 Nov 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments |
| BlizzCon 2013: Heroes of the Storm and Hearthstone betas Posted: 08 Nov 2013 11:44 AM PST Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Events (Real-World), Free-to-Play, Mobile, Events (Massively's Coverage), MOBA, Hearthstone At BlizzCon, Blizzard gave an update on two of its titles in beta: Heroes of the Storm and Hearthstone. Heroes of the Storm will begin sign-ups for the MOBA's beta program today (opt-in is live right now on Battle.net accounts), while Hearthstone will go into open beta next month. Rob Pardo amended the timeline for the latter, saying, "In Blizzard-speak, that might be January." Mobile versions of Hearthstone for iOS and Android platforms will come out in the second half of 2014. You can follow these announcements and more on Massively's BlizzCon liveblog. Continue reading BlizzCon 2013: Heroes of the Storm and Hearthstone betas BlizzCon 2013: Heroes of the Storm and Hearthstone betas originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 08 Nov 2013 14:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments |
| Camelot Unchained has rougher-than-expected development stretch Posted: 08 Nov 2013 11:30 AM PST Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, PvP, Dev Diaries, Camelot Unchained, Subscription City State CEO Mark Jacobs has an update on Camelot Unchained's development, and it looks as though the recent "sprint" period was rougher than expected. "Unfortunately, this sprint was not as successful as the last one. Due to illness and travel, a number of items either were not fully completed or in a couple of cases, didn't get started [...] Now, we still had a good sprint but it wasn't as good as the last one," he wrote in his latest update. Jacobs said that the team is still working to get infrastructure in place but has basic combat functioning and animations improved. Other interesting tidbits from this dev cycle include hints of the next Camelot Unchained video, the initial concepts for a new race, and work being done on the game's magic system. He reports that the team is on track to begin IT testing in January. Camelot Unchained has rougher-than-expected development stretch originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 08 Nov 2013 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments |
| Massively's BlizzCon 2013 liveblog: Opening ceremony and WoW presentation Posted: 08 Nov 2013 10:40 AM PST Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Events (Real-World), Expansions, MMO Industry, Events (Massively's Coverage), Diablo III, MMORPG, Hearthstone BlizzCon 2013 is now underway, and we're expecting big news from the folks at Blizzard, like more details on the Diablo III Reaper of Souls expansion. There's also the first ever Innkeeper's Invitational for Hearthstone, the white-knuckle gameplay of the StarCraft 2 tournaments, and the Hollywood insanity of the upcoming World of Warcraft movie. Most MMO gamers, however, are anxiously waiting to hear about World of Warcraft's fifth expansion. Is it happening? Whom are we fighting? Where are we going? Are there any new classes and races? If you want to be among the first to know but didn't snag a ticket, real or virtual, then join us in the comments below as we blog about all the juiciest news -- live! And don't forget that the opening ceremonies are being streamed for free! Continue reading Massively's BlizzCon 2013 liveblog: Opening ceremony and WoW presentation Massively's BlizzCon 2013 liveblog: Opening ceremony and WoW presentation originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 08 Nov 2013 13:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments |
| Marvel Heroes 2.0 update adds Loki and Asgard Posted: 08 Nov 2013 10:30 AM PST Filed under: Sci-Fi, Super-hero, Patches, Free-to-Play, Marvel Heroes Thor: The Dark World is out in theaters today, and in a stunning coincidence, Marvel Heroes is delivering an Asgard-themed update at the very same time. Game Update 2.0, Gazillion's "biggest content update ever," has two big features. First up is the Asgard hub, where players will meet to go on a series of new missions through the otherworldly zones. And since Thor is already in the game, 2.0 introduces the next best thing, Loki, the god of mischief. Loki is a sorcerer who has two outfits available, the film edition and the not-tacky-at-all comic book version. Even if Asgard doesn't delight you, there's a reason for the entire playerbase to rejoice: Gazillion is expanding the starting roster of free heroes from five choices to nine. You can read up on these additions as well as the new legendary and ring item slots in the official patch notes. Marvel Heroes 2.0 update adds Loki and Asgard originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 08 Nov 2013 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments |
| Dev blog outlines SWTOR's inaugural PvP season Posted: 08 Nov 2013 10:00 AM PST Filed under: Sci-Fi, Events (In-Game), Game Mechanics, Patches, News Items, PvE, Free-to-Play, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Dev Diaries PvPers in Star Wars: The Old Republic who are looking forward to the first Ranked PvP season will be able to start blasting their way up the ranking ladder when Game Update 2.4.3 launches. To give players an idea of what to expect, Senior System Designer Rob Hinkle has drawn a roadmap of this inaugural season in a recent dev blog. When Season One begins, all pre-season rankings will be reset to default for a clean slate. Throughout the season, ratings will be available via web-based leaderboards. Although there is no definite date set for the end of this first season right now, BioWare is looking at a six-month run. Then near the end of the season, exclusive rewards for various tiers of ratings will be announced. And once the season ends, there will be a break before Season Two gets rolling. Dev blog outlines SWTOR's inaugural PvP season originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 08 Nov 2013 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments |
| Unfortunate capsuleer learns not to move EVE Online PLEX in starter ships Posted: 08 Nov 2013 09:30 AM PST Filed under: Sci-Fi, EVE Online, PvP, News Items, Sandbox, Subscription, MMORPG There is one rule in EVE Online that all pilots should remember: Never fly what you cannot afford to lose. Every few months, however, a capsuleer gets a little too comfortable, feels a little too safe, and is instantly punished for a tiny lapse in judgment. This week's lesson comes in the form of an obliterated Ibis carrying 42 PLEX cards, each of which has a real-life value of around $20 and is good for 30 days of EVE game time. The cards themselves were not destroyed, meaning some lucky pirate just snagged $840 (or 25 billion ISK) worth of loot for simply taking a potshot at a woefully underequipped frigate. The kill occurred in Jita, a high-security system that acts as one of EVE's central trading hubs. While there is protection for players in high-security space, today's kill should reinforce the idea that you're never truly safe in EVE -- if you're going to move PLEX, you should do it in something with more armor than a soda can. Unfortunate capsuleer learns not to move EVE Online PLEX in starter ships originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 08 Nov 2013 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments |
New Mega look is cleaner, slicker, and faster
Yelp-like ratings system coming to Facebook desktop users 
